Schengen tourist visa or EU family visa

gezik · Post by **gezik** » Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:15 am

Hi there

I just have a question to ask about which type of EU schengen visa to apply for.

I have an appointment to make a visa application with VFS Italy in April. I currently have an ILR with the UK and I'm in a civil partnership with an EU citizen.

I'd like to get a 1 year visa and I want to increase my chances of getting it.

So should I apply for a normal schengen tourist visa or should I apply through the EU family visa? I've never applied for EU family visa so I'd like to ask a couple of questions;
Do I always have to travel to EU with my partner if I get this visa?
Can I get this visa if I'm not married but in a civil partnership?
Does my partner need to come with me when I make the application?
Will they hold his passport as well as mine while they process the application

Thanks in advance

meself2 · Post by **meself2** » Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:28 pm

What do you want visa for?
I would imagine EU family visa is aimed at allowing you to go back to Italy/reside there/etc (might be wrong) and might be a D type visa as well, while tourist one is for tourism. They both can be used to travel around Schengen, but if you use family visa solely for this purpose, they might have questions at a later stage as that wasn't why they gave you that visa.
If you had a history of Schengen visas before and everything was fine, you're on track for a longer visa. I have no idea how true information on the website is, so take it with a grain of salt, but here (https://www.axa-schengen.com/en/apply-s ... engen-visa) they claim you just need a few visas before you can get a one-year one.

kamoe · Post by **kamoe** » Tue Apr 12, 2022 11:03 am

meself2 wrote: ↑
Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:28 pm
here (https://www.axa-schengen.com/en/apply-s ... engen-visa) they claim you just need a few visas before you can get a one-year one.

While I was a student in the 2010s with never more than a few hundred in the bank account, I applied for Schengen visas multiple times, I lost count how many, probably about 20 or so. Spain, Italy, Germany, France. Most of the time the visa was granted for a few days or weeks. France was the only country that ever gave me 6 months, which was the longest I ever had. Never had a 1-year one. The one thing I noticed, however, is that the duration of my visas was directly related to how much money I had in my bank account when I applied (there is a minimum amount per day you need to have, and since they ask you for a recent statement, they know this).

Sad, but true. Have at least two examples of wealthy friends who got longer visas, one of which the coveted 1-year one, after much fewer attempts (maybe even straightaway).

meself2 · Post by **meself2** » Tue Apr 12, 2022 8:50 pm

kamoe wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 12, 2022 11:03 am

meself2 wrote: ↑
Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:28 pm
here (https://www.axa-schengen.com/en/apply-s ... engen-visa) they claim you just need a few visas before you can get a one-year one.
While I was a student in the 2010s with never more than a few hundred in the bank account, I applied for Schengen visas multiple times, I lost count how many, probably about 20 or so. Spain, Italy, Germany, France. Most of the time the visa was granted for a few days or weeks. France was the only country that ever gave me 6 months, which was the longest I ever had. Never had a 1-year one. The one thing I noticed, however, is that the duration of my visas was directly related to how much money I had in my bank account when I applied (there is a minimum amount per day you need to have, and since they ask you for a recent statement, they know this).

Sad, but true. Have at least two examples of wealthy friends who got longer visas, one of which the coveted 1-year one, after much fewer attempts (maybe even straightaway).

I see, thanks. Madness, honestly.
Guess I'm postponing my Schengen applications till my financial situation is more stable.

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Schengen tourist visa or EU family visa

Schengen tourist visa or EU family visa

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